Heater optimized ball valve

Abstract

Provided is a heater optimized ball valve that includes one or more heat-through components. The heater optimized ball valve may be a modular ball valve that includes a plurality of end caps secured to a valve body frame with a ball disposed within the frame between at least two of the end caps, wherein the modular ball valve comprises a thermally conductive grease that includes a mixture of a vacuum grease and a metal-alloy powder disposed on a top outer-diameter surface of the ball and on an inner proximal-facing surface of a top end cap at least partially filling a top gap that separates the two surfaces, and on a bottom outer diameter surface of the ball valve and on a distal-facing surface of a bottom end cap at least partially filling a gap that separates the two surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular ball valve, comprising:
 a valve body frame comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface comprising at least two side faces, a top face and a bottom face, wherein the at least two side faces comprise a first side face and a second side face;   a first end cap comprising a first seat and secured to the first side face;   a second end cap comprising a second seat and secured to the second side face;   a ball disposed between the first seat and the second seat and comprising a top outer-diameter surface, a bottom outer-diameter surface, and a valve stem slot;   a bottom end cap secured to the bottom face of the valve body frame;   a top end cap comprising a through hole and secured to the top face of the valve body frame, wherein the through hole extends between a proximal surface of the top end cap and a distal surface of the top end cap; and   a valve stem comprising a distal end, a proximal end and a stem body frame that extends between the distal and the proximal end, wherein the proximal end is engaged with the valve stem slot, and wherein the stem body frame extends through the through hole.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein any one of the first end cap, second end cap, bottom end cap and top end cap can be separately removed from the valve body frame and replaced with a respective one of a replacement. 
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom end cap further comprises a bottom distal-facing heat transfer surface that extends substantially concentrically with at least a bottom outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the bottom outer-diameter surface by a bottom gap,
 wherein the top end cap further comprises a top proximal-facing heat transfer surface that extends substantially concentrically with at least an upper outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the upper outer-diameter surface by a top gap.   
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom end cap comprises a bottom body port end cap. 
     
     
         5 . The valve of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom body port end cap comprises a bore therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The valve of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom distal-facing heat transfer surface comprises an annular surface disposed concentric with a diameter of the bore. 
     
     
         7 . The valve of  claim 3 , further comprising a volume of thermally conductive grease substantially occupying at least one of the bottom gap and the top gap, substantially contacting at least one of the bottom distal-facing heat transfer surface and the top proximal-facing heat transfer surface, and substantially contacting at least one of the bottom outer-diameter of the ball and the upper outer-diameter surface of the ball. 
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 7 , wherein the thermally conductive grease comprises a mixture of a vacuum grease and a powder comprising a metal, a metal alloy or both. 
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 8 , wherein the metal alloy powder comprises a plurality of metal particles, metal alloy particles, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of metal alloy particles comprise a particle size of from about 4 microns to about 150 microns. 
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:3 by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:4 by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The valve of  claim 7 , wherein the metal alloy comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
       14. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a 3-way valve. 
     
     
       15. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a 4-way valve. 
     
     
       16. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a 5-way valve. 
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body frame comprises a cube-shaped valve body. 
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 16 , wherein the cube-shaped valve body frame comprises 6 side faces. 
     
     
         19 . The valve of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first end cap and the second end cap comprises a blank end cap fastened to one of the 6 faces. 
     
     
         20 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve stem comprises a thermally insulating stem. 
     
     
         21 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stem body frame comprises at least a hollow portion. 
     
     
         22 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stem body frame comprises an inner diameter, an outer diameter and a sidewall that extends from the inner diameter to the outer diameter. 
     
     
         23 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stem body frame comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion. 
     
     
         24 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stem's distal end is welded to the stem body frame's distal portion. 
     
     
         25 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stem's proximal end extends from the stem body frame's proximal portion and wherein the proximal end and stem body frame comprise a single, machined part. 
     
     
         26 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the ball comprises a fully ported ball. 
     
     
         27 . The valve of  claim 26 , wherein the fully ported ball comprises an I-port, x-port, L-port, T-port, vertical L-port, vertical T-port, double L-port, and double T-port. 
     
     
         28 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the valve body frame, first end cap, second end cap, ball, bottom end cap, top end cap and stem substantially comprise a metal alloy. 
     
     
         29 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to the distal end of the stem and adapted to transfer rotational motion to the ball. 
     
     
         30 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface comprises at least two inner side faces, an inner top face and an inner bottom face. 
     
     
         31 . The valve of  claim 30 , wherein the valve body frame further comprises a plurality of openings that each extends from the inner surface to the outer surface. 
     
     
         32 . The valve of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of openings comprises a top opening that extends from the inner top face to the top face, a bottom opening that extends from the inner bottom surface to the bottom face, and at least two side openings comprising a first side opening that extends from a first of the two inner side faces to a first of the two side faces and a second side opening that extends from a second of the two inner side faces to a second of the two side faces. 
     
     
         33 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower bearing disposed at a proximal portion of the top end cap on a sidewall portion of the through hole, an upper bearing disposed at a distal portion of the top end cap on the sidewall portion of the through hole, an O-ring disposed between the upper bearing and the lower bearing; a wave spring washer disposed distal to the upper bearing and a retaining ring disposed distally to the wave spring washer, wherein the stem extends through the lower bearing, O-ring, upper bearing, wave spring washer and retaining ring. 
     
     
         34 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first side face, the second side face, the top face and the bottom face comprises fastener accepting holes and wherein at least one of the top end cap, bottom end cap, first end cap and second end cap comprises fastener through holes that align with the fastener accepting holes. 
     
     
         35 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting adaptor secured to the top end cap. 
     
     
         36 . The valve of  claim 6 , wherein the top proximal-facing heat transfer surface comprises an annular surface disposed concentric with a diameter of the through hole. 
     
     
         37 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator attached to the distal end of the stem and adapted to transfer rotational motion to the ball. 
     
     
         38 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastening nut, wherein the distal end of the stem comprises a threaded portion and the stem is secured to the top end cap with the fastening nut threaded along the threaded portion of the stem. 
     
     
         39 . A method for making a modular ball valve, comprising:
 providing a valve body frame comprising at least two side faces, a top face and a bottom face;   securing a first end cap comprising a first seat to a first one of the at least two side faces of the valve body frame;   securing a second end cap comprising a second seat to a second one of the at least two side faces of the valve body frame;   securing a ball between the first seat and the second seat;   securing a bottom end cap to the bottom face of the valve body frame, wherein the bottom end cap comprises a bottom distal-facing heat transfer surface that extends substantially concentrically with at least a portion of bottom outer-diameter of the ball and is separated from the at least the portion of the bottom outer-diameter surface by a bottom gap;   securing a top end cap comprising a through hole to the top face of the valve body frame, wherein the top end cap comprises a top proximal-facing heat transfer surface that substantially aligns concentrically with at least an upper outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the upper outer-diameter surface by a top gap;   inserting a valve stem through the through hole, the valve stem comprising a distal end, a proximal end and a stem body that extends between the distal and the proximal end, wherein the proximal end is engaged with the valve stem slot, and wherein the stem body extends through the through hole; and   delivering a volume of thermally conductive grease to substantially occupy at least one of the bottom gap and the top gap, wherein the thermally conductive grease comprises a mixture of a vacuum grease and a metal, a metal alloy or both.   
     
     
         40 . A thermally conductive grease composition, comprising:
 a mixture comprising a vacuum grease and a powder comprising a metal, a metal alloy or both.   
     
     
         41 . The thermally conductive grease of  claim 40 , wherein the metal alloy powder comprises a plurality of metal alloy particles. 
     
     
         42 . The thermally conductive grease of  claim 41 , wherein the plurality of particles comprise a particle size of from about 4 microns to about 150 microns. 
     
     
         43 . The thermally conductive grease of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of particles comprise a particle size of about 15 microns. 
     
     
         44 . The thermally conductive grease of  claim 40 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:3 by weight. 
     
     
         45 . The thermally conductive grease of  claim 40 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:4 by weight. 
     
     
         46 . A stem subassembly kit, comprising:
 a top end cap comprising a through hole, wherein the top end cap comprises a top proximal-facing heat transfer surface that, when attached to a ball valve, substantially aligns concentrically with at least an upper outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the upper outer-diameter surface by a top gap, and wherein the through hole extends between a proximal surface of the top end cap and a distal surface of the top end cap;   a valve stem comprising a distal end, a proximal end and a stem body that extends between the distal and the proximal end, wherein the stem body extends through the through hole, and wherein the valve stem is connected to the top end cap; and   a volume of thermally conductive grease comprising a mixture of a vacuum grease and powder, the powder comprising a metal, a metal alloy or both.   
     
     
         47 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 a lower bearing disposed at a proximal portion of the top end cap on a sidewall portion of the through hole,   an upper bearing disposed at a distal portion of the top end cap on the sidewall portion of the through hole,   an O-ring disposed between the upper bearing and the lower bearing;   a wave spring washer disposed distal to the upper bearing, and   a retaining ring disposed distally to the wave spring washer,   wherein the stem extends through the lower bearing, O-ring, upper bearing, wave spring washer and retaining ring.   
     
     
         48 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 46 , further comprising a fastening nut, wherein the distal end of the stem comprises a threaded portion and the stem is secured to the top end cap with the fastening nut threaded along the threaded portion of the stem. 
     
     
         49 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 46 , wherein the thermally conductive grease comprises a mixture of a vacuum grease and a metal alloy powder. 
     
     
         50 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 49 , wherein the metal alloy powder comprises a plurality of metal alloy particles. 
     
     
         51 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 50 , wherein the plurality of particles comprise a particle size of from about 4 microns to about 150 microns. 
     
     
         52 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 50 , wherein the plurality of particles comprise a particle size of about 15 microns. 
     
     
         53 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 50 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:3 by weight. 
     
     
         54 . The stem subassembly kit of  claim 50 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:4 by weight. 
     
     
         55 . A method for servicing a modular valve, comprising:
 providing a ball valve comprising a stem, a ball, and a top end cap secured to a top face of a valve body frame, wherein the stem is disposed through a through hole of the top end cap and secured to the top end cap;   removing, from the valve body frame, the top end cap with the stem still secured to it;   providing a stem subassembly kit, wherein the stem subassembly kit comprises:
 a subassembly kit top end cap comprising a through hole, wherein the through hole extends between a proximal surface of the top end cap and a distal surface of the top end cap, and 
 further comprising a stem secured to the subassembly top end cap and extending through the through hole; and 
   securing the stem subassembly kit top end cap to the top face of the valve body frame.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the subassembly kit top end cap comprises a top proximal-facing heat transfer surface that, when the subassembly kit top end cap is attached to the top face of the valve, substantially aligns concentrically with at least an upper outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the upper outer-diameter surface by a top gap. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising providing a volume of thermally conductive grease to the top proximal-facing heat transfer surface of the subassembly kit top end cap, wherein the thermally conductive grease comprises a mixture of a vacuum grease and a powder comprising metal particles, metal alloy particles, or both. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:4 by weight. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the thermally conductive grease composition comprises a grease-to-particle ratio of from 1:1 to about 1:3 by weight. 
     
     
         60 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the end caps are fastened to the valve frame with threaded fasteners comprising recessed fastener heads. 
     
     
         61 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve heater jacket comprising a heated surface disposed adjacent to at least one of the top end cap and the bottom end cap. 
     
     
         62 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom end cap further comprises a bottom distal-facing heat transfer surface that extends substantially concentrically with at least a bottom outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the bottom outer-diameter surface by a bottom gap. 
     
     
         63 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the top end cap further comprises a top proximal-facing heat transfer surface that extends substantially concentrically with at least an upper outer-diameter surface of the ball and is separated from the upper outer-diameter surface by a top gap.